[tin-dev] "tin: memory exhausted trying to allocate 4026531841 bytes in file ./newsrc.c line 1471"

[Urs Janßen]

On Sun, Feb 28, 2016 at 01:40:01PM -0800, Ant Dude wrote:
> I am using my remote friend's very old PowerPC box with his Debian PPC: 
> Its Kernel says "... 3.0.0-1-powerpc64 #1 SMP Sat Aug 27 21:04:49 UTC 
> 2011 ppc64 GNU/Linux". With his default Tin package installed, it shows:
> 
> tin 2.1.1 release 20120623 ("Mulindry") [UNIX] (c) Copyright 1991-2012
> Iain Lea.
> Connecting to news.newshosting.com...
> NNRP unlimited.newshosting.com Service Ready - support at newshosting.com
> (fx11.iad)
> Server expects authentication.
> Authorized for user: [deleted]
> Reading keymap file...
> Reading input history file...
> Reading mail active file...
> Reading global attributes file...
> Reading attributes file...
> Reading groups from active file.../
> tin: memory exhausted trying to allocate 4026531841 bytes in file
> ./newsrc.c line 1471

looks like there is at least one group in the active fil which has a LOT
of articles in it (i.e. alt.binaries.boneless). remove that group from
your newsrc and use the -n cmd.line option and/or use the -G cmd.line
flag (in case of such huge groups: don't use negative args for -G).

> I got the same results with a brand new compiled v2.3.2 binary from its 
> ftp://ftp.tin.org/pub/news/clients/tin/unstable/tin-2.3.2.tar.gz source 
> as well. Is there a way around this? :(

yes, strip those useless (at least for traditional text newsreaders) groups
from your newsrc and use -n

urs
-- 
"Only whimps use tape backup: _real_ men just upload their important stuff
 on ftp, and let the rest of the world mirror it ;)" - Linus